starrett



H. F. STARHETT. PANEL BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 6,1917.

1.321,488. y Patented Novfl, 1919,

3 sHEETs-sHEET`2.

Hx F. STARRETT.

PANEL BOARD.` APPLICATIQN man lumi 5, Siam'.

Pateuige; Nov. il, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

I HENRY F. STARRETT. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STARRETT MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PANEL-BOARD.

Original application led I une 13, 1911, Serial No. 632,883.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 173,148.

act description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in panel-boards and has for its object to provide an 4improved form of panel board which may be manufactured at much less cost than the panel-lmards which are/at present maxnifactln-ed,.which .willhave the cnrrent bus-bars and branch conducting bars concealed, and which will improve the :ip-

pearancc `and n ianufacture .of panel-boards in general. v I Various advantages and improvements will appear from the following specification 'and claims.

For the purpose of disclosing n'iy invention I have illustrated one embodiment there-l of in the accompanying dra-wings. In said drawings- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a panelboard embodying myi1n-provements;'

Fig. 2 is a rea-r elevation of the panelboard with the back insulation left off Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 ot Fig. 1; i

Fig.. 4 is a. longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View taken on the line. 5 5 of l"ig. 1; f

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view taken on the lineY 6-6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view showing the manner of connecting the anchorstuds to the distributing conductors.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated I provide a base or coverfplate'l on which the various parts of the panel-board are mounted. This base or cover-plate is composed of suitable insulating material, preferably slate, and in cross-section is of. much Aless thickness than the slate bases heretofore used in the commercial art. I am able to reduce the thickness ot the slate base by the various improvements I have made in panel-boards.

The vbus-bars and branch conducting bars 4or distributing connectors of the panel- 55 board are mounted on the rear face. ot' the base. In the structure illustrated I have shown a panel-board having bus-hars for a three-wire. connection, with six sets of twowire branch conducting bars, these conduct` ing bars being arranged as is usual in the double-branch ltype of panel-board.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, which illustratesv more clearly the bus-bars ant brauch conducting bars or distributing con- 65 nectors, the three bus-bars 2, 3 and" et are illustrated as extending the entire length of the board. These bus-bars, instead of being formed, asheretofore, of heavy copper bars, are formed of thin copper ribbons and may belaminated if desired. One of the advantages of 'using the copper ribbons is Athat the bus-bars may be. .formed of lamifnatcd ribbons and may be proportionately iiicreased-in thickness with the current-carrying capacity; that is, at the lower end, where thecurrent carrying capacitymust be great, a 'numberof'laminations may be used, which numberfma)y be decreased as the hnsbarextendsto the top. The lower ends ot the bus-barsjiue adapted to `be connected to a. respective line-connection, and for this connection I prefer to use a structure illnstrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4 and 7, it 85 will be noted-that I provide an anchor-stud 5 which is headed as at 6 and has a portion 7 extending through Va hole in the base 1. The lower end of this Stud is restricted and screw-threaded as at 8 and is adapted to re- 90 Jceive a nut 9 for assisting in holding the anchor-.stud in position on the base. Pref- "erably interposed between the nut 9 and the base 1 is a washer 10. The thin ribbon torming the busbar has a hole in it at the proper 9,5 A

position to lit over the threaded stem S, and after the ribbonis placed in position it. is secured by a casting process; thatis. a mold is secured in position over the bottom ot' the stud 8 and a securing metal, which may he of 100 brass or any other desired soldering metal, is poured into the mold, thereby joining the' bus-bar and stud by a solidmass and forming an integral metal conductor. The front of the anchor-stud 5 has a screw-threaded 105 opening` as at 11, to receive a screw 12. The screw 12 serves to hold the terminal connector 13 in place. Ihave described in detail the anchor-stud 5, as this forni of stud is not only used for removably securing the wire connectingsterniinal in position, but is also used for securing in position circuit-controlling apparatus used on a panel-hoard, such, for instance, as the fuse-receptacles.

The branch wire connections extend from each side of the bus-hars in pairs, there being illustrated in the accompanying drawing six pairs, three onl each side of the busbais. (hie of'a pair of connections is taken troni one of the outside bus-hars, and the other of the pair is taken from the vinside hus-har. The two wire branches are'eaoh provided with fuse-terminals arranged for Edison plug fuses, and, as all of thexsets of branches are alike, it will only be necessary to describe in detail one set thereof.

An anchor-stud 14 similar in construction' to the anchor-stud 5 is connected to the busha-r 4. A second anehor-studil is arranged to one side of'the bus-bar and is connected to a hranch' conducting hai" 16'which con? ducting,- bar .or distribntingiconnector extends to the inner end of a binding-screw 17. Thisscrew is 'connected tothe branchcpnducting bar 1G in a inaniier similar to that described for connecting the'achor-stud to the hnsdiar, that is, the branch condnct i ing,r bar is secured to the`- lieadofjthe screw.

17 by the castingA process hereinbefore referred to` The headed screw. 17 extends through Afrom the rearf'ofthebiiselyir suit-iy able nut 1,8l being,r screwcdgtliereon' to hold it in position,v said screw also'bei'nii provided with a thumb-'nut 19 for screwing the con` necting branch wire thereto.

llie sccondconnectionothe branch cxtends from the central bus-bar A cross strip or branch- 'conducting bar 20v is conr nected at one point to the central bus-har 3 and extends to an anchor-stud 21. A second anchor-stud 22 is mounted on 'the base and is connectedlby a hranch 'conducting bar 23 with the second hinding-post 24..'.It will,be noted that, due to the aliiienieiit of the busliar 4, it passes over the anchor-stud 21 which is connected to the branch conducting bar 2U. As these two portions'are of opposite polarity, l interpose betweeny the `stud 2l and its branch conductinprv bar and lthe bus-har lkan insulating strip 25, which is preferably aformed of iu'ica riveted or otherwise secnredto the bus-liar. .'lhis may be very thin and eliectually insnlates the two conductors of opposite polarity.' rlhis strip, as will be noticed, is of sufficient length to extend to the next.cross-over, if desired. It will be noted that lhe. branch conducting har il() may be of sullicient length to extend to the stud having.: branch wire minneclion opposiie the/pair which have. been descrila-d.

lhestuds li and 15 and 21 and .Z are electrically connected through lsuitable 'fuses on the-face. ofthe board; l have provided in branch wire connections. ,have yallbeen assembled thel mir-plate is the embodiment illustrated a fuse-receptacle or terminal for that typeot' fuses known as l the Edison plug fuse. This receptacle is mounted on the front ot thc board so that the fuse can be conveniently inserted or removed and is of special design, permitting it to he readily removed from the board 1i:

extends through an opening in the shell 27 having" tapered walls which are drawn into a cone-shaped opening in the web 29 and screws into the anchor-stud 15. The ,center Contact 28jcoinprises the head of a. screw 31 which is insulated from the bottoni of the shell 27^hykrthe interposition of a mica or Vother.'insulating washer 32, and extends through the web 29 into a contact plate or nlit. Thisl contact plate or nut 1s provvided 'with an integral sleeve stwliich extends through the web 29 and isspun over as shown. A screw is adapted to pass- -,.through the sleeve andextend4 into the an- Chor-stud 14. It will thus'bc seen that one terminal ofi'the plug receptacle connected' to one of the anclioi'-studs,'and the other y terminal of the plug receptacle is connected tothe other anchor-stud so that when the ir'usefplug` is inserted in position a connec? tion will be formed from the bussbar t to the connectiori-terminal17. f l

In building the board the necessary studs for connection of the various devices are properly connected to the bus-hars, conducting;r bars, or distributing connectors and After these parts mountedon a shallow sheet-steel casing Ilo.l This casing is provided with side lianges 37.

which engage. the hacklof the panel-board ieo and the casing isheldin position by suitable anchor-hilt# 38. l'lhese bolts extend through the face of the base as illustrated' in Fig. 5 and have a nut 40 screwed on 'their rear ends to secure. the casinglr in place. At thc point wherethee anchor-boils extend through the casing, the casing is dished as at 3l) so that after the nut l() is screwed inV position this nut will be. flush with or below the sui-face, oi thefcasing. bolts 3h' which extfnd through the nuts lo are swaged or riveted, as shown at 4t, to rigidly hold said bolts in position'. luitiablr spacing-collars #il and washers la :ireinterposed between' ahe casing; and the base. to

'lhe ciuls of the,

prevent the nut 10 from buckling the casing when it is screwed tight. Jafter the casing secured in position I may pour in, if desired, a suitable insulatingl compound 47 wl ich completely fills the casi ng and in which the. distributing conductors on the back of the board are embedded.

For securing the panel-board in position on the wall, or to any other plaire where it may ybe attached, I provide suitable screwholes 43 in the base, which holes extend through. the casing 3G. lA tube 4e extends through the base and casing 36 and is spun over the front of the base land the casing, as at 45, the point in the base and casing where the s aeing-tube is spun over being preferably aid lin supporting the easing on the base as well as forming a screw-hole. A suitable spa/cin '-oollar 48 and washer 9 surround the tu casing and the tube.

I have shown one particular -arran=einent of bus-bar and branch conducting bars. It will be understood, however, ethat' various circuit arrangements of the distributing conductois may be used; also, it will be understood that, where desired, instead of using the fuse-receptacles of the particular type ilhistrated, 1` canuse anybther form of cir# cuit-controlling apparatii or, where it is not desired touse fuses," the fuses may be dispensed with entirely. In each instance,y

however` the bus-bars and branch conducting bars will be arranged on the rear of the board, and the only surface contacts or conductorsl on the face of the board, with the exception of switches and fuse-receptacles, are the amener-studs.

Y This applicationis a division and continuation of my application Serial No. 632,883, liled June 13, lJll, title Panel-boards.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

l. A panel-board base unit comprising, in combination, a shallow metal casing, an in; sulating cover-plate therefor, strips ot' conducting inaterial otnnprising bus-bars and conducting bars supported on the rear face o' said cover-plate and Within the "casing, and anchor-studs permanently and rigidly secured to said bars extending through said cover-plate and securing,r said bars in place, Said anchor-studs hav-ing threadedportions by which the electrical equipment of the board is removably secured thereto, said anchor-studs securing the bai-sin` position independently of the electrical equipment to permit j(he mounting and removal thereof on the base unit without displacing the bars.

A panel-board base unit comprising, in comhinatii-m, a shallow lmetal casing, an insulating cover-[nate for said casing, conductor stripscoinprising bus-'bars and conducting bars sup ported on the near face of said ished, as at 4G. This serves toand are interposed between the' Cover, anchor-studs extending through said cover and soldered to said bars at their rear ends to permanently and rigidly secure said bals in position, said anchor-studs at their front ends having means for removably securing the electrical equipment oi the boa rd thereto and said. studs securing the barsl in position independently oi the clc-clrical equipment to permit thi` mounting and removal of the electrical equipment without displacing the bars,

' 3, A panel-board base unit comprising, in combination, a shallow metal casing, an insulating cover-plate therefor, strips of conducting material comprising bus-bars and conducting bars supported on the rear face of said cover-plate, yan insulating casing, a

thrcadedshell arranged in said casing, at-

taching means extending through the board and connected to the bars, Imeans removably supporting the casing in position and elec: trically connecting the threaded shell with the conducting bars, said bus-ba rs and conducting bars being secured in position indopendently of said insulating casing to per- 'mit the mounting and removal thereof without displacement of the bai-s.l p

,y 4. A panel-board comprising a llat insu` lating base having all of the bus-bars and branch conducting bars arranged on the back thereof,

ets in their faces, an insulating cai'ing, a threaded shell 4and conter contact arranged in sa-id' easing, and screws for removably supporting said casing in position on the base and electrically connecting the threaded shell and contact with the bus-bai' and branch conducting bar arranged to enter said threaded sockets in the anchor-studs.

In a device of the character described, the.combination with a cylindrical porcelain casing open ateach end and having a center web intermediatey of its ends, a thi-caded shell contact in one end of said casing, the bottom of said shell having an opening` therein, the walls of said opening being cone-shaped, said web having a cone-shaped seat therein to receive the walls of said opening, a` screw passing through saidweb andV having its head engaging the cone-shaped walls of the opening in the bottom or' the shell and -adapted to mechanically support said casing in position and electrically connect said shell with the circuit conductor, a center contact, and a second screw for connecting said center contact with the circuit conductor and -mechanically supporting said casing in position.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination wi th' a cylindrical porcelain casing open at each end and'having aweb formed therein intermediate of its ends, a

'threaded shell contact arranged in one end Y anchor studs extending through said base and having threaded soclebottom of said-threaded contact and through said web for electrically connecting said contact with thev circuit conductor and mechanically supporting said casing in position, a ceutercontact, a conductor-plate arranged on the back of 'said web and electri cally connected with said center contact, a

sleeve formed on said plate arranged to pass through an opening in said web and having a portion thcreotl headed over said opening to hohl said plate in position, and a screw passing through said sleeve and adapted to imehanically support said easing in 'position and electrically connect said center contact with the electrical circuit.

7. A panel-board comprising a' flat insulating base having all of the bus-barsand branch conducting-bars supported on the back thereof, a sheet-steel reinforcing casing secured on the back of said base, anchorstuds passing through said base electrically connected with the bus-bars and branch conducting bars and having threaded sockets in their faces. a. cylindrical porcelain casing, a threaded shell contact 'anda center contact mounted within said` casing, and screws adapted to enter the'threaded sockets of the anchor studs for electrically connecting the threailed shell and center -contact with al conducting bar and a bus-bar, respectively, and

for removably mechanically seein'mg 'the casing in position on said base.

S. A panel-board comprising a dat insulating base having all of the bus-bars and branch conducting bars mounted on-the back thereof, a reinforcing steel casing secured on the b aclrof said base and inclosing said conducting bars, anchor-studs extending',

through said hase and permanently mechanically and electrically connected with the bus-bars and branch conducting barsand having threaded sockets in their faces, a.'

threaded shell Contact and a center contact mounted on the face of said base, and means for mechanically and electrically connecting said threaded shell and center contacts each with' one of a pair of anchor-studs.

9. A pan'eLhoa-rd comprising a flat insulating base having all of the bus-bars and branch conducting bars mounted on the back of said base, ei'irrent-condnctig memsulating base, a plu-ralityo bus-bars and branch conducting bars all mounted on the rear of said base, said conducting bars'andbranch bus-barseomprising all of the bals of the panel-board, securinganembeis for holding said .busbars land branch Aconducting bars in place extending through the base and permanently connected with thebus bars and branch conducting bars, an insnlat,

.ing casing recessed on its bottom to cover at' least two of said securing members and havmg a recess 1n its top for receiving' a threaded shell and center contact, and means 'for detachably electrically connecting said shell and center contact each with one of a pair of branch bus-bars and'fordetachably mechanically supporting said insulating easing on the front face of said base,

11. A panel-board comprising a fiat insulating base, a plurali-ty of bus-bars and branch conducting hars all mounted upon the back of said hase, said busbars and branch coni'lucting bars comprising all of the bus-bars and branch conducting bars of the panel-board, studs extending through said base permanently connected with t e bus-bars and branch conducting bars and provided with threaded sockets, an insulating easinghaving its under side recessed to fit over atleast two of said studs, a threaded shell and center contact mounted `in the front of said casing-and screws for electr1- cally connecting said shell and Contact with said studs and removably mechanically securing said casing in position on the front of said baseadapted to enter the threaded sockets .ot said studs.

12. A panel-board' comprising a'ilatl insulating, base, a plurality of bus-bars and branch conducting bars mounted on the backv of said base, said bus-barsand branch conducting bars comprising all. of the hars of the, panel-board,` current-conducting studs permanenti and branc 1 conducting bars extending through said hase headed over the-hase. an having threaded sockets in the front thereof, an insulating'casing recessed oh its under side to accommodate the heads of at least two of said studs land make a Hush Contact with the surface of said base; said casing having a recess in the front thereof, a, threaded shell and center contact arranged in said recess, and screws for electrically connecting said contact and shell `withl the studs and removably mechanicallysecuring said casing in position'upon the base adapted to enter the sockets of said studs.

13. An electricaldevice comprising an insulating base having an opening 'there` through; a conducting plate supported by said basea means for' securing said plate to said base comprising a tubular metal member extending through said opening, a sec ond. insulating base, and a means extending connected with said busbars through said tubular member for securing said first base to said second base.

14. In a device of the class described an insulating support., an apertured memberof conducting material supported thereby, a second insulating base having an opening therein, a second member of conducting material supported thereby, means for securing said second member to said second base comprising a -tubular metal device secured to said second member and extending through said opening, and means for securing said second base to said first base comprising a securing member extending through said tubular device and aperture.

l5. In a device of the class described, an insulating support, an internally screwthreaded member of conducting materia-l supported thereby, a second insulating base having an opening therein, a second member of conducting material supported thereby, means for securing said second member to said second base comprising a tubular metal device secured t0 said second member and extending through said opening, and means for securing said second base to said first base comprising a screw extending through said tubular device and threaded into said internally-threaded member.

16. In a device of the class described, an insulating support, an internally-threaded member of conducting material supported thereby, a second insulating base having an opening therein, a second member of'conducting material supported thereby, means for securing said second member to said second base comprising a tubular metal device secured to said second member and extending through said opening, and means for securing said second base to said first -base comprising a screw extending through said tubular device and threaded into said internally-threaded member, said second base having a recess therein and a contact in said recess electrically connected with said second member for engaging an insertible device. p

17. In a `panel-board, a base, a bus-bar system (':oncealed from the front of the base, studs electricallyconnected to the bus-bars and extending through the hase to the front thereof and secured thereto, circuit-controlling equipment, and means whereby Said chiant-controlling equipment may be se cured to and removed from the said studs from the front of the base, the ppsition and inteii-clationsliip of said bus-bar system and base being unaffected thereby.

18. In a panel-board, ahase, a bus-bar system located at the rear thereof, conduct-A ing studs electrically and mechanically connected to the bus-bars secured to the base and projecting through the hase to the front thereof, circuitcontrolling devices, and means for detachably securing and eiectri callyi connecting the circuit-controllin 'levices to the studs from the front of the se.

19. In a panel-board, a hase, circuit-controlling devices, a bus-bar system located at the rear ot' the base, and conducting means extending through the base to the front ot'. the same and secured thereto for mechanically securing the bus-bar system in position, said means having provision permitting the securing and removal of said circuit-control- -fuse-holding device for .each pair of studs,

and a pair of conducting screws associated with the contacts of the fuse-holding device for 4conrecting the fuse-holding device to f the studs from the front of lthe base.

2l. In a panel-board,-.the combination of an insulating base, bus-bars and branch conducting bars ,located at the rear of the base,

studs extending through the base from the front to the rear thereofand permanently connected to the said bars, said studs serving to clamp the bars to the 'base and, having threaded sockets at the front of the base, said studs being arranged in pairs, a fuserecel'itacle for each of? said pairs of studs, and conducting screws associated with the respective contacts of the receptacle and adapted to engage the threaded sockets of the studs to secure the receptacle in place.

A panel-hoard comprising, in combination, a base, bus-bars located at the rear of the. base, and anchor-studs secured to the bus-bars extending through the base to the front thereof and securiri the bus-bars in place, said anchor-studs 1r ving revision at the front of the base by which the electrical equipment of the board may be removably secured thereto and said anchorstuds Securing'the bus-bars in position independently of the electrical equipment to permit, the. mounting and removal thereof on the base without displacing the bus-bars.

23. In a panel-board, a base, a bus-bar system located at the rear of the base, conducting means extending through the base secured thereto and mechanically securing the bus-har system to the-base, independently of the electrical equi ment secured to. the front of the base, circuit-controlling devices on the front et the base connected to the 'bus-bar securing means and detachable therefrom Without disturbing such securing means.

24. In a panel-board, a base, a busbar and a brunch terminal-connecten located at the rear of the base, and a. fuse-holding device {letnclmbly mounted on the rontof 1lI-he base, one of the contacts of the fuse-holding device beingr electrically connected to the bus# bmwlxile the other Contact is electycelly connected to tbe branch terminal-connector.

The combination Wit-l1 an insulating base, distributing' connectors secured upon 10 the rear of said buse, bus-ba1-s securedl upon the rem' of said base and spaced apart from i the base to permit the passage thereunder of f In Wtnees whereof, I have hereunto subseribed mynaxne.

` HENRY F. STARR-ETT. 

